Sprinklings of history, a smidgen of genealogy, a dash of art & a dusting of architecture, all mixed together with my eccentric fascinations

18 October 2014

England: A stroll with Seven Sisters

Let’s go for a stroll …
a rather long stroll that might take all day so bring a hat, sunscreen, water
and a picnic lunch. You may sweat a little but the effort will be worth it
because the countryside is stunning and the panoramic views sublime.

We’ll park the car at Birling Gap, where serious erosion threatens and frequently causes huge sections of the
cliff to fall into the sea.

Now, let’s walk up to
the top of the hill on our left to check out that lighthouse and the view from
the top. This is part of the South Downs Way.

Looking inland, we have
wonderful views over the South Downs.

When we get to the top, we could
stop for a coffee at Belle Tout lighthouse, now a café and very luxurious B&B, but no, let’s check out the view along
the coast. That’s the Beachy Head lighthouse way down below – it’s been warning
seafarers about the dangerous coastline here since 1902.

When we do an about-turn,
fighting to keep upright in the teeth of a fierce southerly wind, we can see
quite a long way along the coast in the other direction. They’re the Seven
Sisters, the seven peaks of the white chalk cliffs that stretch between Birling
Gap and Cuckmere Haven. We’ll be heading to the Haven next.

Let’s live dangerously
and walk out onto that viewing platform before we get back in the car for the short drive along the coast.

What a stunning sight
as the car rounds the bend! You can instantly see why this is called the
Cuckmere Meanders.

We’ll leave the car at
the Seven Sisters Country Park, check out the visitor centre there, walk up
the hill behind for another view over the Meanders (where the kayakers are
enjoying the waters), then head off along one of the tracks leading down to the
sea (see the map).

The CuckmereRiver
flows into the English Channel here and we get
our first close-up glimpse of the famous chalk cliffs called the Seven Sisters.

These are the
coastguard cottages we could see far in the distance from Birling Gap. Let’s
have our picnic lunch and sit a while enjoying the fresh sea air.

We’ll follow the South Downs Way up
past the cottages a short distance towards Seaford Head.

And then we can enjoy spectacular
views like these. But don’t go too close to the cliff edge!

When we zoom that camera
lens in, we can see Birling Gap and the Belle Tout Lighthouse in the distance.

Heading back to the road, this time we're walking along part of the Vanguard Way, and it’s easy to see which way the prevailing wind blows.

The car’s parked near
those buildings in the distance. Are your feet sore yet?

No? Then let’s go down
to the sea again, along a different track on the other side of the CuckmereRiver.

Getting closer. There’s
plenty of bird life hereabouts and lots of sheep grazing in the fields.

Here on the beach, it’s
easy to see the gleaming white chalk that formed millions of years ago under
the sea from tiny marine organisms and, if the tide’s right, there are plenty
of rock pools to explore.

Seeing people at the
bottom of the cliffs helps get an idea of their height.

Heading back inland
again, the Second World War defences are a bit of a surprise. Dragon’s teeth tank
obstacles and pillboxes dot the landscape as this place would have been an
ideal invasion point.

Let’s take one last
look back towards the coast before we farewell this amazing countryside and
head home for a hot shower. I hope you’ve enjoyed our stroll as much as I have
(and my photos have inspired you to visit in person).

About Me

I am a writer and photographer; project
manager and English teacher; knitter and genealogist; fungi forayer and bird
watcher; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and child sponsor; tree
lover and cat person; researcher and blogger; nemophilist; and traveller.